Doug Leecock
Julie Sanders
Joyce Yannuzzi

2024 Primary Election

Early voting begins on February 20 and election day is March 5, 2024. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to all four candidates in late January, then followed up with each candidate multiple times. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. There are three candidates in the Republican primary, Doug Leecock, Joyce Yannuzzi, and Henry White. Mr. White did not respond by the February 15 deadline. The winner will face Julie Sanders, who runs unopposed in the Democratic Primary, in November. 

Background: Urbanization

The Texas Hill Country and Comal County provides us with scenic landscapes, vistas, and an array of interconnected waterways including the Dry Comal, Cibolo, Rebecca, and Honey creeks; the Comal and Guadalupe rivers; Comal and Hueco springs, the Trinity and Edwards aquifers; and Canyon Lake that are all integral in supporting tourism and economic development, ranching and agricultural operations, and an abundance of wildlife (including many endangered species) and flora throughout the area. Urbanization is threatening these natural resources.

Comal County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. This record level of population growth is rapidly changing Comal County from what was once mostly a rural area into an albeit large suburb of San Antonio.

Question 1. The affirmed low priority some local elected officials have given to the preservation of our natural resources, and to parks and open spaces has, in our view, resulted in irresponsible growth. Would you align with fellow commissioners on policies that could potentially preserve and protect our natural resources – specifically water quality and quantity sustainability issues, and parks & open spaces? What actions would you take to facilitate these protections? Would you support the idea of allowing the voters of Comal County to decide the best method of acquiring more park land and protecting open spaces?

Leecock: I have an established track record of supporting preservation of our natural resources as a private citizen and will continue to do so as an elected official. Protection of our natural resources will take each of us working together with other groups and individuals, public and private, to deal with the rapid growth in this area. I will generally be cautious but also thoughtful in my support any program that will increase an already heavy tax burden on our taxpayers. Based on my years of interacting and observing our Commissioners Court, I do believe that my addition to court will change the chemistry of the group. I have worked hard over the years to build a good rapport with the current court and other leaders in this County and I can be effective in bringing in some positive changes that are reflected in the desire of our citizens. I affirm the opportunity of our citizens to speak and be heard about the issues that are of concern.

Sanders: I would absolutely align myself with the other commissioners, in order to protect and preserve our natural resources. I would insist that we have regular meetings with one another, and the community in order to make some sort of headway. The residents of Comal County should be the only people that have a say in what is done in our community.

Yannuzzi: I grew up on a large farm and cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle and understand the importance of protecting Texas land. I believe we’re all concerned about the dwindling landscape in Comal County and the Hill Country and are looking for good options to protect our natural resources, wildlife, and countryside. Yes, I would align with fellow commissioners and work to protect areas that could eventually become parks/open spaces; however, instead of looking at a county bond at the taxpayer’s expense, I would choose to meet with landowners, individually or as a group, to discuss available options other than development. There are state agencies and organizations whose mission is to assist landowners in protecting their property: Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Farm Credit and Texas Agricultural Land Trust, to name a few. These entities offer options for landowners to place a portion or all their property in a trust the landowner holds, a private conservation easement, or in a conservancy with the State whether it be 10 acres or 10,000 acres, thus protecting the property in perpetuity from development (as long as it is not part of a federal land grab known as “30×30”). This is not an anti-growth or anti-development stance; this is a positive attitude of working to protect the Hill Country landscape. I would also work to meet with developers to discuss options for greenbelts or parks within the development instead of selecting a proposed plat of stacked homes and streets. Protected spaces within a development only enhance the quality of life for homeowners, reflects positively on home values, protects existing wildlife and natural resources in the area, and provides yet another option that doesn’t involve a bond. I would much prefer taking these routes versus a bond, which is just another burden for taxpayers and the next generation.

Question 2. Much of Comal County’s rapid growth is occurring in unincorporated areas. County commissioners have claimed they have insufficient authority when it comes to regulating incompatible land use or protecting citizens against threats to their health and property. Would you support asking the legislature to grant counties more local authority to help preserve the very quality of life that attracts new residents to Comal County and holds old ones here? What specific actions would you take to rectify this lack of authority and foster a reasonable and predictable approach to development that protects all property owners?

Leecock: Texas counties have limited authority in unincorporated areas. Our elected representatives at the State level have made it clear they have no intention of expanding authority to counties. In view of that information and, in consideration of “property rights” and the “right of capture (water),” I believe in fostering communication and action between stakeholders at the local level to deal with developing solutions to these important issues.

Sanders: When it comes down to preserving the land in Comal County, it should be up to the voters and local authority to handle County business, not the Texas Legislature. They don’t live amongst us, and therefore will not be affected by what lies in the wake of Vulcan. I would not stop researching until I found out who possesses the authority to make these decisions, and what strict guidelines need to be met.

Yannuzzi: I currently work for Senator Donna Campbell as the District Director. I have the unique opportunity of traveling the 7-county Senate District and meeting with local elected officials and constituents, listening to their concerns or frustrations, and working to find viable solutions on their behalf. My job often involves coordinating with a state agency to resolve an issue for a constituent, or meeting with city leaders and county commissioners over what can be done regarding encroaching development. Initially, people move to the unincorporated areas of counties to get away from the tighter controls of city ordinances and enjoy country living. But when there is almost zero authority for county government to establish limits on compact housing development, I do believe it’s time to ask the Legislature to provide counties a few more proverbial “tools in the toolbox”. To be clear: I am a strong property rights advocate and against growing government; however, because of my position on the Senator’s staff, I’ve been tasked with compiling a list of suggestions and ideas for potential legislation that would benefit the County Commissioners and am working with our Capitol legislative staff to finetune the suggestions. At this time, I cannot discuss what is being considered; but please keep in mind where I grew up (on a large farm and cattle ranch), my position on alternate options (to protect land using conservancies and trusts), and my adversity to growing government. I am taking the above approach of thinking outside the box to find good solutions for property owners, County Commissioners, and developers.

Question 3. A Primer on County Tools and Paths Forward was published in 2023 with the support of several leading local conservation groups. It provides a guide to existing powers and practices of Texas counties, with consideration of additional governance tools that might be considered by future county officials and legislators to help protect the Hill Country’s natural resources. Are you familiar with this report, and if so, what additional practices do you think are most applicable to Comal County?

Leecock: I am familiar with “A Primer on County Tools and Paths Forward”. This publication is similar to many others I have reviewed. They all generally recognize that it is an enormous challenge while respecting property rights and our freedom to move to the place of one’s choice. I believe we must decide locally how we, the citizens, want to solve these issues. I agree with the report that local government has tools available to them to develop solutions but I also believe they will only be successful with support from the legislature, the cooperation and support of the voters, local stakeholders, not giving up our property rights or increasing taxes.

Sanders: I am not yet familiar with A Primer on County Tools and Paths Forward, but I soon will be.

Yannuzzi: Yes, I am familiar with the publication and have read through it and as mentioned in question (2), have comprised a 2-page list of suggestions for our Capitol legislative staff to review for potential legislation. And I have forwarded the “Primer on County Tools and Paths Forward” to our Capitol staff for their review. However, I want to reiterate I would prefer talking to and working with landowners and developers on protecting land using conservancies and trusts and implementing greenbelts and protected parks within the developments, respectively, and am against growing government and issuing bonds as an only resort.

Background: Groundwater

Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs), mostly organized along county boundaries, are the state’s preferred method of groundwater management. GCDs are charged with managing groundwater by providing for the conservation, preservation, protection, recharging, and prevention of waste of the groundwater resources within their jurisdictions.

Question 4. The Comal Trinity GCD is one of 9 GCDs responsible for managing the Hill Country portion of the critical Trinity Aquifer system (Lower, Middle, and Upper Trinity Aquifers). The CTGCD’s authority is currently limited to issuing drilling permits, gathering water level data, and collecting water production fees from “non-exempt” (i.e. commercial) wells. During the current exceptional drought, the Hays Trinity GCD has implemented a temporary moratorium on new non-exempt wells to help protect the water supply of existing well owners. Comal County commissioners appoint the board members of the CTGCD. Would you be in favor of asking the CTGCD board to consider taking more proactive measures to protect its existing well owners during droughts?

Leecock: The CTGCD does not have the same authority as the Hays Trinity GCD, because of their restrictive enabling legislation. In the event the CTGCD had the same authority, I would support them using it.

Sanders: I would definitely be in favor of asking the board to take more proactive measures. I personally know members of this community that have lived for days with a dry well, and no water in sight. This has been a frequent problem that will only worsen, if something is not done to rectify the situation.

Yannuzzi: Never in my lifetime has the adage of “Whiskey is for drinkin’ and water is for fightin’” been more appropriate and truer. The Trinity Aquifer has not recovered from the 1950s drought, regardless of rainfall (and floods). The Texas Water Code, Chapter Sec. 36.101 does give the CTGCD authority to make and enforce rules to provide for the conservation, preservation, protection, and recharge of groundwater and aquifers within CTGCD boundaries, as stated in state statute and on the CTGCD’s website. I am unsure if the board needs approval from the Commissioners first before issuing a moratorium on new wells and could not determine that when reading through the referenced section. One thing to keep in mind regarding restrictions on groundwater consumption: Texas Water Code, Chapter Sec. 36.002, (a). “The legislature recognizes that a landowner owns the groundwater below the surface of the landowner’s land as real property.” Texas courts have historically upheld the “Rule of Capture” and these restrictions could potentially place the county in an unnecessary legal battle over which landowner has the rights to the groundwater below. So, to answer your question: Yes, I would be in favor of CTGCD taking proactive measures to protect existing well owners during drought, but with limitations implemented. I am not in favor of any government entity gaining more authority/power and not relinquishing it when the drought crisis is over.

Question 5. Because of the current drought and record population growth in the area there has been a drastic increase in water demand and many private well owners are reporting that their wells in the Trinity Aquifer are going dry. Would you work with state elected officials on legislation granting county commissioners and Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) the authority to manage new development activity, including aggregate production operations, to ensure that water demand never exceeds water availability?

Leecock: Absolutely, I believe it is important that all current water users understand the part we all play in the area of water conservation. In regards to the future, accurate data and involvement with elected officials at the state level will become increasingly important for all of us to become organized and involved in. The GCD’s are required to submit data to the State of Texas via the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) every 5 years. This very import ant planning cycle is in the initial phases for the report due next year.

Sanders: I will, without question, work with state elected officials to make sure that water demand never exceeds water availability.

Yannuzzi: As mentioned in previous answers, I am currently working with Senator Campbell’s Capitol legislative staff on ideas for potential legislation to help County Commissioners in regard to growth, without necessarily growing government. Again, I am pro-property rights and do not want to impose restrictions on what an individual (or business) can or cannot do with their property in the unincorporated areas of the county; however, I definitely recognize the current (and future) strain on the aquifer and landscape is untenable. I would prefer to go to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to ensure the rules and regulations already in place are strictly adhered to when granting permits to developers and aggregate operations. Senator Campbell’s office is taking the proactive step in requesting public hearings to allow constituents the opportunity to voice their opinions when development or aggregate is coming near their homes. I will continue this same method as Commissioner, not because I am anti-growth, but because the TCEQ public notices are often missed and residents living adjacent to the proposed development are not always notified. I will also comb through Municipal Utility District (MUD) applications and permits from TCEQ to ensure the 1-vote rule meets the State’s current election statutes on residency requirements and take appropriate steps if they do not, as I am currently doing as part of my current job.

Background: Vulcan Construction Materials, Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP), Eminent Domain/Railroads

Vulcan Construction Materials purchased the White Ranch in 2017. The ranch, 1500 acres (2.3 square miles) of pristine Texas Hill Country rangeland, sits in the middle of Comal County amidst caves, rivers and streams, wildlife, and flora. It sits under the migratory paths of bats, monarch butterflies and whooping cranes. Numerous legacy ranches and homesteads are nearby along with Indian remains and artifacts on neighboring properties and in adjacent caves. The property itself extends southwest nearly three miles from the corner of State Highway 46 and Farm-to-Market 3009. This land is one of the largest pieces of undeveloped property in the county and is in unincorporated territory midway between New Braunfels and Bulverde. Perfect for a park and/or open space development.

The property sits entirely atop the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone (EARZ). Vulcan must prepare and apply for a WPAP under the TCEQ’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan (EAPP). The EAPP outlines the best management practices that will be implemented and maintained to reduce the amount of contaminants reaching the Edwards Aquifer. The WPAP has numerous components and requirements that must be satisfied before TCEQ will deem the application administratively complete. Once complete, the TCEQ will start the technical review process. This process kicks off notification to affected cities, counties, and groundwater conservation districts, and the 30-day public comment period begins. Water quality and supply are vital to our area, both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption, agriculture, and wildlife.

Question 6. Conducting heavy industrial operations, such as quarries and mining, directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endangers one of our most precious natural resources—water. What actions are you willing to take to allay community concerns before Vulcan’s WPAP is rendered administratively complete? When (if) the WPAP goes into the technical review process, would you be willing to ask for a public meeting and contested case hearing on behalf of your constituents and Comal County? What, if any, other measures would you take?

Leecock: I believe that all businesses and individuals should comply with current state rules and regulations. I would be willing to ask for a public meeting on behalf of my constituents.

Sanders: I unequivocally would ask for a public meeting on behalf of my constituents and Comal County. A public meeting wouldn’t be enough, in my opinion. We need to knock on doors with literature in hand, protest in numbers too massive to ignore, and let the people of Comal County know what kind of life is ahead of us, if we don’t band together and put an end to Vulcan.

Yannuzzi: Communication is key and essential in situations involving government entities and the private sector. The proposed site for the Vulcan Quarry is in Precinct 2 which is Commissioner Scott Haag’s precinct; it is not in Precinct 1 (even though it is directly across Hwy. 46). I stand at the ready to offer my help in any way, shape, or form to Commissioner Haag in holding town halls and using all forms of media to keep constituents informed of the permitting process. If/when the WPAP goes to the review process, I am available to work with the Commissioner to immediately request a public hearing to give people a chance to voice their opinions to representatives of the quarry (if present) and TCEQ. I will offer to assist in reaching out to our State Representative and State Senator offices, TCEQ permitting, and the Government Relations team of Vulcan requesting a meeting in hopes of relaying the concerns of constituents. I want to make myself available in any way possible, knowing the quarry may/will affect the quality of life of constituents in Precinct 1 (and everyone drawing water from the Edwards) even though the quarry lies in another county precinct.

Question 7. Eminent domain was used by a Vulcan subsidiary, Southwest Gulf Railroad, to condemn properties that Medina County landowners refused to sell. Now this Vulcan company has built a nine-mile railway to connect a quarry to the Union Pacific line. What specific actions would you take to help correct the imbalance of power between large corporations and Comal County citizens and landowners when it comes to property rights and eminent domain condemnation?

Leecock: The use of eminent domain is governed by specific rules and regulations. If the current regulations present an unbalanced situation I will review and take appropriate action to protect all parties.

Sanders: I would push for protection of private property at the state and federal level. I would ensure that existing laws are followed, that protect landowners, while protesting any attempts to take private property that isn’t for the public good, or claiming land unfairly.

Yannuzzi: State law dictates that private companies cannot use eminent domain laws to take the property from landowners, who refuse to sell, using condemnation. I am familiar with the Medina County eminent domain case where the railroad spur line requested by Vulcan was designated as a ‘common carrier’ line to bypass the state’s eminent domain laws. Common carrier, as defined in the Texas Administrative Code, Sec. 3.297: “A person who holds out to the general public a willingness to provide transportation of persons or property from place to place for compensation in the normal course of business.” The Medina County/Vulcan railroad spur is NOT a common carrier (it’s used for transporting aggregate materials, not people) and I am COMPLETELY opposed to how this was handled. As stated above in question 6, the proposed site for the Vulcan Quarry is in Precinct 2 which is Commissioner Scott Haag’s precinct; it is not in Precinct 1(even though it is directly across Hwy. 46 from Precinct 1). But as the Precinct 1 Commissioner with constituents that close to the proposed quarry, I would demand transparency and public hearings from all parties involved so everyone has access to what is occurring, should Vulcan (or any other aggregate company) try to acquire property using eminent domain for a railroad spur in the same manner conducted in Medina County.

Question 8. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, why do you think you are the best person to represent us as a Comal County Commissioner?

Leecock: I am the best person to represent the citizens of Comal County as the Precinct 1 County Commissioner because I have the experience and record of solving problems. I proudly support the preservation of natural resources. One of the reasons I live in Comal County is due to the natural beauty of the area. Through my service on a board here in Comal, I regularly communicate the facts regarding our aquifers and the importance of conservation of our natural resources. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with fellow commissioners, as well as our legislators, to anticipate problems and address them with sufficient time to develop meaningful solutions with the help of local stakeholders.

Sanders: I should represent Comal County as Commissioner, because I have integrity, and will stand up for what is right. I’m in this to make a difference, and want to be a part of preserving our little slice of heaven. This is our home, our community, and it’s damn sure worth fighting for.

Yannuzzi: Comal County has remained in the top ten of the fastest-growing counties in the nation for several years and I have lived here, and been invested in, the people and the community for the past 22 years. The position of County Commissioner can no longer afford someone with zero experience of government statutes, governmental entities, process/policy/and procedure. The county cannot afford a new Commissioner needing one to two years of on-the-job training to “figure things out”. I am the only candidate in this Commissioner race working full time; the only candidate with a proven record of long-term investment in our community; the only candidate with a proven record of conservative Republican work and involvement in the county and Republican Party of Texas (spanning 17 years); the only candidate in this race working daily on issues for constituents who have requested assistance, to include some questions in this questionnaire. I know how to research state statutes regarding county government, transportation, water laws, etc. and I know how to track bills as they move through the Legislative Session, watch for those beneficial to Comal County and testify in committee when necessary. I have extensive knowledge of the varying State agencies and consistently reach out to them to answer constituents’ questions or concerns as Senator Campbell’s District Director. I’ve been meeting and working with a group in Mystic Shores development (north Canyon Lake area) for nearly 2 years on a case regarding a developer and a questionable MUD vote, gathering information, and following proper procedure as is required. In every case, I work on behalf of constituents and remain neutral to prevent emotion from clouding my judgement. Our county population is projected to continue growing and we need someone with a deep, broad, and extensive knowledge of “how things work” at all levels of government without wanting to grow government. I am the ONLY candidate in this race with that background and will begin working for constituents of Precinct 1 and Comal County on day one.

Donna Campbell
Robert Walsh

2022 General Election

In Senate District 25, incumbent Donna Campbell is being challenged by Robert Walsh.

Unfortunately, Senator Campbell’s apparent interest in protecting Hill Country residents and our natural resources from freewheeling quarries and the aggregate industry seems to be a flash in the pan. While she introduced a few decent quarry-related bills in 2019 (none passed), her track record of supporting legislation unfriendly to Texas citizens is disappointing.

Repeated contributions from TACA, Vulcan, and other APOs to Campbell’s campaigns over the years are concerning. Furthermore, it is telling that her senior policy advisor during the last session is now a government relations manager for Vulcan Materials.

Despite our open-door policy and hundreds of thousands of Hill Country residents desperate for support, Dr. Campbell was unhelpful during the past legislative session. Her reluctance to collaborate on development of real, meaningful solutions to the problems District 25 residents face is disheartening.

Robert Walsh, Democrat from San Antonio, describes protecting our environment as “crucially important” and makes it a top three issue on his campaign website. He looks forward to the sunset review process for TCEQ as a prime opportunity to implement badly needed reform.

Early voting begins on October 24 and election day is November 8, 2022. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage or VoteTexas.gov for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in August, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply.

Question 1. Texas is currently suffering through a major drought, and many private well owners in SD25 are reporting that their wells in the Trinity Aquifer are going dry. Record population growth in the area has resulted in greatly increased water demand. State law currently limits the authority of counties to deal with land use issues related to rapid growth in unincorporated areas. What authority would you be willing to grant county commissioners and Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) to manage new development activity to ensure that water demand never exceeds water availability?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 2. Vulcan Construction Materials will have to submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) outlining best management practices needed in order to protect water quality in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Water quality and supply are vital to District 25—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption, agriculture, and wildlife. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, will you be involved and what actions will you take as a state representative?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 3. There are repeated examples of Texas Hill Country streams experiencing algal blooms and eutrophication following the implementation of wastewater facilities that had been approved by the TCEQ. Would you support requiring TCEQ to use water purity standards tailored to the Hill Country so as not to harm aquatic wildlife?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 4. In 2021, the House Interim Committee on APOs published a report laying out the issues associated with Aggregate Production Operations (APOs). The report spelled out background on each issue, the current regulatory scheme, and recommendations on how to improve the APO industry in Texas. Are you familiar with the report and its recommendations? Which of its recommendations do you think are most important? Are you willing to work across party-lines to enact laws to achieve these goals?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 5. In 2019, Representative Terry Wilson (District 20) introduced HB 509 and Representative Kyle Biedermann (District 73) introduced HBs 3798 and 2871. Will you author and support identical legislation?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 6. It has been recognized that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and other similar facilities. With TCEQ up for sunset review in the next legislative session, would you be willing to work with the Texas Sunset Commission to improve TCEQ permitting and their authorization of common-sense rules, oversight, and enforcement? What do you see as the biggest issues facing TCEQ and what needs to be done to solve them? How will you champion institutional change to improve TCEQs reputation with District 25 constituents?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Question 7. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, where do our priorities fit in to your legislative agenda? Do you think you can adequately represent our concerns and what will your strategy be to successfully represent District 25 in these undertakings?

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: No response received.

Justin Calhoun
Carrie Isaac

2022 General Election

In the newly redrawn House District 73, Carrie Isaac faces Justin Calhoun to replace retiring Representative Kyle Biedermann. We are grateful to both candidates for taking the time to meet with us, answer our questionnaire, and discuss issues of environmental importance in Comal and Hays counties: clean air, water quality and quantity, reforming TCEQ, and common-sense supervision of quarries and other aggregate production operations (APOs).

Justin Calhoun would be a welcome representative of our concerns and efforts. Not only does he talk the talk, but Mr. Calhoun invests personally in caring for our environment: he took time out of his busy schedule to join our July Adopt-A-Highway event and clean up the roadside adjacent the Vulcan property. Mr. Calhoun, from Comal County, served in the Army, deployed to Afghanistan, and is now a social worker. He shares our concern with the lack of APO oversight by TCEQ and the critical need to protect our precious natural resources such as the Edwards Aquifer.

Carrie Isaac, from Dripping Springs, leads a nonprofit focused on assisting veterans. In 2015, she worked with her husband, Jason, during his time as state representative for Hays and Blanco counties, to draft and pass HB 3405, empowering local groundwater conservation districts and increasing protection of the Trinity Aquifer. Ms. Isaac recognizes that standard air permits TCEQ so frequently rubber stamps are wholly inadequate to protect Texans living near these plants.

Ms. Isaac has some questionable industry connections. But both candidates have assured us that preserving our natural resources is a high priority: either would pick up the mantle of Representative Biedermann and work hard to protect Hill Country citizens and our private property from unnecessary and unacceptable industrial pollution.

Early voting begins on October 24 and election day is November 8, 2022. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage or VoteTexas.gov for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in August, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply.

Question 1. Texas is currently suffering through a major drought, and many private well owners in HD73 are reporting that their wells in the Trinity Aquifer are going dry. Record population growth in the area has resulted in greatly increased water demand. State law currently limits the authority of counties to deal with land use issues related to rapid growth in unincorporated areas. What authority would you be willing to grant county commissioners and Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) to manage new development activity to ensure that water demand never exceeds water availability?

Calhoun: Development is unavoidable, but it should be managed. Counties should have the authority to place some conservation restriction in the pursuit of protecting access to water and other life sustaining resources. Texas is proud to uphold private property rights, but those rights should stop at resources that the community as a whole need to survive and thrive. Ensuring access and protection of clean drinking water is a priority.

Isaac: Water is our most precious natural resource, and groundwater conservation districts play a critical role in protecting our groundwater. When my husband served in the Texas House, I advocated for and helped pass HB3405 which ensured all of Hays County was in a GCD which protected surrounding landowners from commercial wells. While I do not believe counties should be given more powers to regulate land use — these powers belong to cities — I would be open to further discussion on how we can ensure GCDs can preserve groundwater while still respecting private property rights.

Question 2. Vulcan Construction Materials will have to submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) outlining best management practices needed in order to protect water quality in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Water quality and supply are vital to District 73—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption, agriculture, and wildlife. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, will you be involved and what actions will you take as a state representative?

Calhoun: I would have the WPAP evaluated by non-bias third party specialists that can shine a light on any discrepancies or possible issues. I will advocate for any changes and ensure that the company will take full  responsibility for any possible contamination as this would be detrimental to all of HD-73. I want to support industrial growth as we need it, but not to the determent of Texans.

Isaac: I will work closely with TCEQ to ensure water quality and supply is a top priority in consideration for the Vulcan project.

Question 3. There are repeated examples of Texas Hill Country streams experiencing algal blooms and eutrophication following the implementation of wastewater facilities that had been approved by the TCEQ. Would you support requiring TCEQ to use water purity standards tailored to the Hill Country so as not to harm aquatic wildlife?

Calhoun: Algae blooms can be caused by a variety of issues with cleaned water. For example, high levels of phosphorus can lead to algae blooms and increased aquatic plant growth lowering the dissolved oxygen in water being detrimental to fish and continuing to negatively impact the local food chains. When issues like this arise TCEQ needs to determine the cause and implement a solution.

Isaac: I believe we must balance our infrastructure needs with preserving and protecting our environment. One size does not always fit all when it comes to environmental standards. I welcome the opportunity to discuss and research this issue further and determine what, if any, standards should be changed.

Question 4. In 2021, the House Interim Committee on APOs published a report laying out the issues associated with Aggregate Production Operations (APOs). The report spelled out background on each issue, the current regulatory scheme, and recommendations on how to improve the APO industry in Texas. Are you familiar with the report and its recommendations? Which of its recommendations do you think are most important? Are you willing to work across party-lines to enact laws to achieve these goals?

Calhoun: Yes. I’m familiar with the report having read it when it came out. I agree with their suggested interventions and believe they should be implemented.

Isaac: Yes, I am familiar with the report’s recommendations and am willing to work across party-lines to ensure we strike the right balance and ensure a consistent, predictable regulatory environment that protects the environment and private property rights, while ensuring business continues to thrive in Texas.

Question 5. In 2019, Representative Terry Wilson (District 20) introduced HB 509 and Representative Kyle Biedermann (District 73) introduced HBs 3798 and 2871. Will you author and support identical legislation?

Calhoun:I will author and implement similar legislation, with some changes due to unintended consequences these bills may cause for other industries. When we write legislation it should be focused on the issues, we need corrected with little to no unintended consequences as possible.

Isaac: Yes. I have spoken with both Rep. Terry Wilson and Rep. Biedermann on this issue at length, and both have endorsed my candidacy. I believe business and community interests do not have to be mutually exclusive. APOs currently have very little regulation with almost no requirements beyond a standard air quality permit. We must create some sort of regulatory structure around this industry to ensure surrounding private property is protected from harm and nuisance.

Question 6. It has been recognized that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and other similar facilities. With TCEQ up for sunset review in the next legislative session, would you be willing to work with the Texas Sunset Commission to improve TCEQ permitting and their authorization of common-sense rules, oversight, and enforcement? What do you see as the biggest issues facing TCEQ and what needs to be done to solve them? How will you champion institutional change to improve TCEQs reputation with District 73
constituents?

Calhoun: TCEQ was intended to protect the environment of Texas ensuring that growth does not place our environment or Texas residents in avoidable situations that can permanently harm our community. From my experiences I have seen we have patient educated staff at TCEQ, however, legislatively they need to be equipped with tools to do their jobs and protect Texans.

Isaac: The Sunset Process is an excellent opportunity to audit and evaluate state agencies to ensure they are properly serving the people of Texas. I look forward to working with my fellow legislators to improve TCEQ and ensure the agency is more open, transparent, and easy to work with for citizens and private businesses.

Question 7. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, where do our priorities fit in to your legislative agenda? Do you think you can adequately represent our concerns and what will your strategy be to successfully represent District 73 in these undertakings?

Calhoun: There has forever been a fight between industrial growth and residents. But with good reasons as historically we have seen industries do not always on their own priorities the safety and wellbeing of the citizens or the environment. I will always priorities the safety of our community members while supporting industrial and commercial growth we need. I am not an expert in these field however, my goal is to work with experts on both sides to ensure safe environmentally friendly development.

Isaac: Texas is a pro-business state, but that doesn’t mean that industry has free reign to trample on the private property rights of Texans. Industry and growth are essential to the future of our state, but it must be done in consideration of the concerns and needs of the general public to ensure the Texas Hill Country remains beautiful for generations to come.

Justin Calhoun
Barron Casteel
George Green
Carrie Isaac

2022 Primary Elections

Excerpt published in February 19 New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung 

In the newly redrawn House District 73, the hotly contested primary on the Republican side offers voters three choices. The winner will face Democrat Justin Calhoun in the November general election to determine a replacement for Representative Kyle Biedermann.

We are grateful to all four candidates for taking the time to meet with our organization, answer our questionnaire, and discuss issues of environmental importance in Comal and Hays counties: clean air, water quality and quantity, reforming TCEQ, and common-sense supervision of quarries and other aggregate production operations (APOs).

Republican Candidates

During his term as mayor of New Braunfels, attorney Barron Casteel became personally familiar with many of the problems at TCEQ and is ready to tackle them through the ongoing sunset review of TCEQ. He knows Comal County well and is sincerely concerned with the potential for eminent domain abuse should Vulcan Materials attempt to construct a railroad spur running from their proposed quarry to the Union Pacific lines near Interstate 35.

Carrie Isaac, from Dripping Springs, leads a nonprofit focused on assisting veterans. In 2015, she worked with her husband, Jason, during his time as state representative for Hays and Blanco counties, to draft and pass HB 3405, empowering local groundwater conservation districts and increasing protection of the Trinity Aquifer. Ms. Isaac recognizes that standard air permits TCEQ so frequently rubber stamps are wholly inadequate to protect Texans living near these plants.

George Green, former New Braunfels city councilman, is also running.

Both Ms. Isaac and Mr. Casteel, as well as Mr. Calhoun, have made commitments to work with us and other organizations like Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining (TRAM) to draft and support legislation similar to HB 509, HB 2871, and HB 3798, in the hopes of establishing badly needed rules and requirements for out of control (and often out-of-state) quarries and concrete batch plants.

Barron Casteel and Carrie Isaac both carry some baggage in the forms of campaign contributions and industry connections. But both candidates have assured us that preserving our natural resources is a high priority: either would pick up the mantle of Representative Biedermann and work hard to protect Hill Country citizens and our private property from unnecessary and unacceptable industrial pollution.

Democrat Candidate

In the Democrat primary, Justin Calhoun is unopposed and would also be a welcome representative of our concerns and efforts. Not only does he talk the talk, but Mr. Calhoun invests personally in caring for our environment: he took time out of his busy schedule to join our July Adopt-A-Highway event and clean up the roadside adjacent the Vulcan property. Mr. Calhoun, from Comal County, served in the Army, deployed to Afghanistan, and is now a social worker. He shares our concern with the lack of APO oversight by TCEQ and the critical need to protect our precious natural resources such as the Edwards Aquifer.

Early voting begins on February 14 and election day is March 1, 2022. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage or VoteTexas.gov for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in January, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply.

Question 1. During the 2019 and 2021 legislative sessions, nearly one hundred bills related to quarries, aggregate production operations (APOs), water resources, and TCEQ permitting were introduced. Unfortunately, very few were passed into law. The House Interim Committee on APOs issued a report on the industry in January 2021. Would you author and actively champion legislation identical or substantially similar to HB 509, HB 2871, and/or HB 3798 (86th Texas Legislature)?

Calhoun: YES. The House Interim Committee report makes several recommendation that should be implemented. Placing PM monitors on property lines as a prerequisite to the approval of an air quality permit. Establishing a reclamation plan with an APO stormwater permit to include “Surety Bond” too cover the reclamation cost if the mining project operation ceases. Increased research and impact consideration must be implemented for higher risk environmental areas such as community water reservoir and aquifers.

Casteel: YES.

Green: OTHER. You need a new representative!

Isaac: YES. I have spoken with both Rep. Terry Wilson and Rep. Biedermann, who has endorsed my candidacy, on this issue at length. I believe business and community interests do not have to be mutually exclusive. APOs currently have very little regulation with almost no requirements beyond a standard air quality permit. We must create some sort of regulatory structure around this industry to ensure surrounding private property is protected from harm and nuisance.

Question 2. Does the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and similar facilities? If so, what are the biggest issues, what needs to be done to solve them, and how would you help?

Calhoun: YES. The TCEQ was created to protect our environment they need to be held accountable to that job and empowered to perform it. Their primary objective should be the safety and well being of the citizens they have been charged to serve. As an overseeing authority they should function independently from any influencing group or organization. They should be required to have full transparency of all their personal or organizational self interests. They should have a reporting system of failures and equipped to hold fines or remove permits based on history of violations.

Casteel: YES. The TCEQ is facing the Sunset process and that is a tremendous opportunity to reform the commission and ensure it can better take into account the local stakeholders concerns when making decisions at the state level. This must be done.

Green: OTHER. You need a new representative!

Isaac: YES. From what I understand, with the exception of the TCEQ Air Quality Permit, the standard permit allows an applicant to enter various values into a form and if the resulting numbers are below allowable levels the permit is required to be approved within a month. A permit should have to go through an evaluation and not just serve as a rubber stamp.

Question 3. Vulcan Construction Materials will likely soon submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Water quality and supply are vital to District 73—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption, agriculture, and wildlife. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, would you be involved and what actions would you take as a state representative?

Calhoun: As a state Representative, I will support legislation that ensures the safety standard is up to par with research and national standards. I will ensure that the WPAP meets the standard for safety in our community. It is crucial that the research is specific to this facility, and the research is accurate and unbiased as possible. Our aquifer is a very sensitive area that should be protected from any risk of pollution. We must balance our industrial development with protecting our environment and community.

Casteel: I would ensure that the thousands of homeowners in the vicinity of the proposed quarry, who would be directly affected by its construction, are fully heard and their concerns are addressed by the Legislature. We cannot allow the folks who are directly affected by projects like this to go unheard. Private property rights must be fully upheld at all costs.

Green: You need a new representative!

Isaac: Water is one of our most precious resources in the Hill Country. When my husband, Jason, served in the Texas House, I was very active with him as he fought to expand a groundwater conservation district (GCD) to ensure all of Hays County was in a GCD which protected surrounding landowners from any commercial wells. The bill, HB3405 to “Save Our Wells”, was opposed by the Speaker of the House and team, as well as some of the largest political donors in the state, but we would not be deterred from doing what was right. The bill became law, without the Governor’s signature, in 2017. I will be a relentless fighter and champion of efforts to protect private property and the environment.

Question 4. Eminent domain has recently been used by a Vulcan subsidiary, Southwest Gulf Railroad, to condemn properties that Medina County landowners refused to sell. Now this Vulcan company has built a nine-mile railway to connect a quarry to the Union Pacific line. In Hill Country counties just to the north, Kinder Morgan has used eminent domain to seize land and easements for their Permian Highway Pipeline. What specific actions would you take to help correct the imbalance of power between large corporations and their lobbyists, and regular citizens and landowners when it comes to property rights and eminent domain condemnation?

Calhoun: I will protect property owners from unnecessary eminent domain. Unnecessary eminent domain defined as: when there is an existing alternative that does not impose eminent domain. -Ensure all literature for the proposed plan and purchase agreement is written in plain language. -Allow Market value, Broker Price Opinion (BPO) -Ensure that public meetings are held by the provider for all the property owners that will be affected and the surrounding communities. -Property owners should not be required to financially provide legal services to represent their interests during any condemnation proceedings, or to negotiate on their behalf. -Extend representation to Brokers, Appraisers allow self-representation.

Casteel: As I said in my previous answer, I will not support the use of eminent domain by a private company to violate anyone’s private property rights againt their will. That is a violation of due process and the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The will of private property owners must maintain supremacy.

Green: You need a new representative!

Isaac: Private property rights are the foundation of our country. I believe eminent domain must only be used for infrastructure with truly public benefits. I would need more information before commenting on a specific project; however, I am aware eminent domain abuse is becoming more and more prevalent. I would support legislation to clarify when eminent domain is appropriate. I will fight to prevent low initial offers, improve easement terms and require meetings with landowners. Property owners should be notified of their rights with regard to the use of eminent domain and the entity should be required to petition a court of jurisdiction to show public necessity. Taking of property should result in immediate compensation of fair market value to the owner. These issues should be administered by elected officials accountable to voters. The use of eminent domain must exclude the seizure of private property for private economic development or increased tax revenue.

Question 5. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, why do you think you are the best person to represent District 73?

Calhoun: I have lived in this community my whole life and understand how important it is to balance development and the environment. Our district encompasses some of the most remarkable and pristine sites in Texas, and the Edwards Aquifer is the lifeblood of our community. We have seen growth in our community far beyond what was expected. That growth needs infrastructure and development while minimizing the negative impact on our environment in order to sustain the growth we have seen. I will work with my colleagues to support legislation that improves our approach to air and water pollution that will keep the Hill Country a beautiful and safe place to live and visit. I will be the best choice for District 73 because I am passionate about the community I grew up in, and I understand that we can have successful development here while protecting our environment for generations to come.

Casteel: Absolutely. I will always put the will of the property owner over that of the government or private companies. Our individual liberties – especially the protection of private property – must always be upheld.

Green: You need a new representative!

Isaac: As a resident of the Hill Country for 16 years, I too treasure the beauty of our Hill Country and believe we must wisely steward our natural resources. As a longtime community leader and political volunteer, I’m intimately familiar with this issue, especially when it comes to potential threats to our groundwater and air quality, and am ready to hit the ground running on day one to ensure the proper balance between property rights and protecting our environment. My existing relationships with legislators will allow us to be successful in our efforts to protect the hill country. I am not beholden to any special interests, I will be beholden to the constituents I wish to serve.

Channon Cain
Donna Campbell
Robert Walsh

2022 Primary Elections

Excerpt published in February 19 New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung 

Three candidates are running to represent Senate District 25. Incumbent Donna Campbell is being challenged by Channon Cain in the Republican primary. Democrat Robert Walsh is unopposed.

Senator Campbell’s Record

Unfortunately, Senator Campbell’s apparent interest in protecting Hill Country residents and our natural resources from freewheeling quarries and the aggregate industry seems to be a flash in the pan. While she introduced a few decent quarry-related bills in 2019 (none passed), her track record of supporting legislation unfriendly to Texas citizens is disappointing.

Repeated contributions from TACA, Vulcan, and other APOs to Campbell’s campaigns over the years are concerning. Furthermore, it is telling that her senior policy advisor during the last session is now a government relations manager for Vulcan Materials.

Despite our open-door policy and hundreds of thousands of Hill Country residents desperate for support, Dr. Campbell was unhelpful during the past legislative session. Her reluctance to collaborate on development of real, meaningful solutions to the problems District 25 residents face is disheartening.

Challengers from the Right and Left

Channon Cain, from the Austin suburb of Lakeway, is also running in the Republican primary. He took the time to respond to our candidate questionnaire and sees the need for some protection of residents’ property values and quality of life from the negative impacts of aggregate operations in the Texas Hill Country.

Robert Walsh, Democrat from San Antonio, describes protecting our environment as “crucially important” and makes it a top three issue on his campaign website. He looks forward to the sunset review process for TCEQ as a prime opportunity to implement badly needed reform.

Robert Walsh would be a strong supporter of our organization and our efforts to protect the air, water, and natural resources of the Texas Hill Country.

Early voting begins on February 14 and election day is March 1, 2022. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage or VoteTexas.gov for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in January, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply.

Question 1. During the 2019 and 2021 legislative sessions, nearly one hundred bills related to quarries, aggregate production operations (APOs), water resources, and TCEQ permitting were introduced. Unfortunately, very few were passed into law. The House Interim Committee on APOs issued a report on the industry in January 2021. Would you author and actively champion legislation identical or substantially similar to HB 509, HB 2871, and/or HB 3798 (86th Texas Legislature)?

Cain: YES. I want Texas to be the best place to raise a family and the best place to do business on the planet. This means having a healthy economic environment and healthy communities. In instances such as these, we must have a proper buffer between the two, and I would be willing to support legislation that provides this. Specifically, Kyle Biedermann’s bill, HB 3798, in the 86th Texas Legislature would help safeguard families, communities, and businesses. I would not support anything that obstructs legitimate business interests, but providing this buffer is good for both. I also support Representative Biedermann’s emphasis on both reclamation and air quality. This would ensure homeowners’ property values and quality-of-life are not negatively impacted.

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: YES. It’s long past time we take action to protect our communities from these extractive industries. I would definitely author and champion bills like the above. The TCEQ is a regulatory agency in industry capture, and we need robust reform during the Sunset process in addition to specific legislation.

Question 2. Does the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and similar facilities? If so, what are the biggest issues, what needs to be done to solve them, and how would you help?

Cain: YES. Yes, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) does have major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and similar facilities. The biggest issue is that the organization is not protecting families and communities health as they are supposed to do when it comes to regulation and permitting of APOs. More transparency in the permitting process and more local control of issues would help. I would be willing to stand up for the families and landowners in my district and sponsor legislation.

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: YES. The TCEQ has put much more focus on producing permits than muscularly enforcing its mission. The only actions they have taken are to make permitting easier, by their own admission in Sunset.

Question 3. Vulcan Construction Materials will likely soon submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Water quality and supply are vital to District 25—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption, agriculture, and wildlife. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, would you be involved and what actions would you take as a state senator?

Cain: As State Senator for District 25, I can promise to be fair, responsive, and decisive when I review such proposals as a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for Vulcan Construction Materials that is proposed for their 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Protection and preservation of our water supplies is paramount—both for communities and for the local tourism industry that thrives on people who come to recreate in the Hill Country. My objective is to make Texas the best place to raise a family and the best place to do business in the world. I will stand up for Texas families and protect them and their communities.

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: My plan would be to get as involved as possible in public comment and build a coalition around the local leaders doing review (in the Technical Review process). Without knowing their mitigation strategy, I can say that I would bring some strong skepticism and work to make sure it is extremely robust.

Question 4. Eminent domain has recently been used by a Vulcan subsidiary, Southwest Gulf Railroad, to condemn properties that Medina County landowners refused to sell. Now this Vulcan company has built a nine-mile railway to connect a quarry to the Union Pacific line. In Hill Country counties just to the north, Kinder Morgan has used eminent domain to seize land and easements for their Permian Highway Pipeline. What specific actions would you take to help correct the imbalance of power between large corporations and their lobbyists, and regular citizens and landowners when it comes to property rights and eminent domain condemnation?

Cain: Private property rights are central to Texas and American values and these could be strengthened with more local control in these situations. I will make certain private land owners private property rights are prioritized and protected and that eminent domain only every occurs as a last resort in matters of absolute necessity with no plausible alternative. In the event of eminent domain, private property owners should be compensated for full fair market value, including reasonable damages.

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: I would support legislation that would bar this use of eminent domain completely.

Question 5. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, why do you think you are the best person to represent District 25?

Cain: We choose to live in the Hill Country because it is a unique and beautiful part of Texas. The small town, farming and ranching culture of SD25 must be protected, and the iconic landscape of the Hill Country must be preserved. My family and I regularly, camp, fish, hunt, tube, hike, bike, swim, run, boat, and spend the day in the outdoors of the Texas Hill Country. I want to preserve this way-of-life for my children and generations to come. I will do what is necessary to protect private property rights, stand up for communities, and make sure families stay safe and healthy in Texas and in SD25.

Campbell: No response received.

Walsh: We must preserve this land for our children and their children. The aggregate industry has fully captured the TCEQ, and without fully utilizing the Sunset process and further, broadly supported legislation, they will continue to. I believe I’m the only candidate in the race that can or will say so, and will act on this, and so I would appreciate your votes.

Stephanie Phillips
Kyle Biedermann

2020 General Election

Kyle Biedermann and Stephanie Phillips once again face each other in the contest for Texas State Representative, District 73.

We are grateful to the incumbent, Mr. Biedermann, for his attentive ear and his efforts over the past few years to help protect HD 73 citizens and our state’s natural resources from out-of-control (and often out-of-state) companies in the aggregate production operations (APO) industry.

Biedermann Bills & Voting Record

Mr. Biedermann worked closely with us prior to and during the last legislative session to author significant, meaningful legislation that would have required quarries to obtain mining permits, required reclamation and restoration of mined land, increased the setback distance for rock crushers, allowed for unannounced inspections of APOs, and required the TCEQ to conduct additional assessments before issuing air quality permits.

Dozens of Comal County citizens traveled to Austin and spoke in support of HB 2871 and HB 3798. Though these bills died in committee, the high level of citizen support led to the establishment of a House Interim Committee on Aggregate Production Operations. And interest in APO-related legislation will certainly be high in the upcoming 2021 session.

During the past legislative session, nearly one hundred other bills related to quarries, concrete batch plants, other APOs, TCEQ permitting, and water issues were introduced. Unfortunately, most of this legislation met a similar fate and never made it out of committee. However, there were three bills that did make it to the floor for a vote: HB 798, HB 907, and HB 2726. On each of these, Mr. Biedermann voted favorably (with our position), sometimes parting ways with his caucus when necessary to protect citizens’ rights and hold the industry accountable.

In recent years, most Republicans haven’t earned reputations as defenders of the environment. But the Sierra Club assigned Mr. Biedermann a 49 percent rating during the 2019 session—the second best rating among Republicans, and a higher rating than a number of Democrats.

Looking Toward 2021

Furthermore, Mr. Biedermann, with the environmental experts on his team, has met with TCEQ, the Edwards Aquifer Authority, and other state agencies numerous times to learn about their processes, culture, and to share concerns of District 73 citizens. Biedermann and his staff were instrumental in the placement of new TCEQ air quality monitors in northern Bexar and Comal County (the only particulate matter air monitor in Comal).

In anticipation of the upcoming 87th legislative session, Mr. Biedermann has been actively working with other legislators, state agencies, and community groups such as ours, laying the groundwork for his legislative priorities.

Kyle Biedermann and his team have put together an array of specific, actionable legislative priorities for 2021 including common-sense restrictions for APOs over aquifer recharge zones, granting certain counties power to regulate locations of APOs (as they already do with landfills), prohibit use of eminent domain by APOs, and imposing additional restrictions and requirements on proposed pipelines. Mr. Biedermann also supports ongoing efforts to establish statewide best management practices (BMPs) for quarries, concrete batch plants, and other aggregate operators.

Stephanie Phillips

Stephanie Phillips’ concern for the environment and passion for clean air, water, and protection of our beautiful Texas Hill Country is abundantly clear. Over the past few years, she has taken the time to meet with us and hear our concerns about quarries, APOs, and TCEQ.

We are confident that her top priorities would include protecting our natural resources and holding polluters accountable—especially those over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. She places a special emphasis on forming coalitions of elected officials, community groups, and state agencies to preserve our natural resources and protect the health of HD 73 citizens. She supports increased local control for counties and would work to reform TCEQ and strengthen their regulatory authority.

Ms. Phillips would be a tireless advocate for promoting issues important to our organization and defending the environment.

Our Recommendation

It is a pleasure to have two strong candidates who are both supportive of our efforts and ready to step up to the plate for residents of the Texas Hill Country.

When it comes to issues concerning quarries, other APOs, and problems with TCEQ, Kyle Biedermann and his staff have been solidly behind us and supportive of our cause. His hard work on behalf of District 73 citizens, open-door policy, burgeoning relationships with state agencies and other legislators, and specific legislative solutions approaching the 2021 session earn our endorsement and support.

Early voting begins on October 13 and election day is November 3, 2020. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in August, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply by the September 23 deadline.

Question 1. During the 2019 legislative session, nearly one hundred bills related to quarries, aggregate production operations (APOs), water resources, and TCEQ permitting were introduced. Unfortunately, very few were passed into law. Leading up to and throughout the next session, describe your planned approach, tactics, and strategies to pass legislation to protect District 73 citizens and our state’s natural resources from the negative impacts of quarries and APOs.

Phillips: As the Representative for HD-73 I will become an active partner with neighboring elected officials, community groups, Hill Country Alliance, and other stakeholders to build relationships with the existing coalition of environmental groups working to protect the Hill Country, Edwards Aquifer and the recharge zone. There is a very effective coalition that is working on the broader issues of protecting the region and it will be crucial to be an active partner in these efforts. I would also join forces with all working groups at the state lege that are studying the issue, researching solutions and developing legislation to regulate the aggregate industry in TX. In the past session HD-73 was not an active part of this coalition. This issue is a key priority for me, and joining the coalition would be one of my first actions upon being elected.

The Texas Hill Country, especially the recharge zone area that would be impacted by the proposed Quarry, is bio-diverse, uniquely fragile and deserving of protection. Damage to the recharge area and the Edwards Aquifer would negatively impact water resources for millions of central Texans and have a negative impact on property values and the local tourist economy. The rugged landscape and pristine waters are a magnet for tourists and for a growing population that values the area’s natural beauty and the many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The means to successfully passing legislation will be to effectively communicate a vision that makes clear the economic benefits of long term protection of the Comal Springs and Aquifer region as well as the catastrophic regional effects of environmental degradation. The task at hand is largely one of networking, effective marketing, coalition building, communication and understanding your constituency. The most important step is to make this a priority, use the platform of the office and to take responsibility for getting bipartisan support and passing the necessary legislation.

Biedermann: For approximately 10 years the Texas Legislature has proposed levels of legislation to change the current environmental regulations governing aggregate production operations (APO). I am continuing to reach out to local and state organizations like the Texans For Responsible Aggregate Management and other parties to seek their insights and obtain specific language for proposed bills on better managing APO’s.

This past legislative session I used a two-pathway approach for APO’s. One was to pursue adding new regulations for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the second way was to pursue transferring the TCEQ APO Program to the Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC). The TRRC presently governs surface mining activities for the uranium and coal mining industries. The agency has far-reaching regulations and rules in place that would significantly impact the permitting, inspection, and enforcing of APO’s. I will be meeting again with TRRC Commissioners on this transfer of authority. Also, a law is in place that allows counties the authority to regulate the location of solid waste landfills. I plan to submit a bill that modifies this existing law that will include APO’s. This will only be applicable for Gillespie, Kendall, and Comal Counties and not for other counties in Texas.

Moreover, the APO Interim Charge Committee, which was established last legislative session, will be critical to the future of how Texas governs APO’s. I am closely involved with the discussions and findings of this group. At this time, there is a movement for the state to establish best management practices (BMP’s) for the APO Industry. I am hopeful that if this committee concludes that this is the best approach to take that BMP’s already developed for other states will be seriously considered, that the public, academia, and scientific and environmental organizations will be members of the groups to develop and approve the best BMP’s, and that meaningful and enforceable actions can be taken by the state regulatory agency against APO’s not complying with the BMP’s.

Question 2. Does the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have major, systemic problems related to regulation and permitting of APOs such as quarries, concrete batch plants, asphalt plants, and similar facilities? If so, what are the biggest issues, what needs to be done to solve them, and how will you help?

Phillips: YES. President Harry Truman was famous for his motto “The buck stops here!” It seems that when it comes to finding the necessary tools for making common sense land use decisions, regulation and permitting of APO’s, and enacting basic environmental protections at the local level the buck stops…nowhere. County Commissioners say their hands are tied and they don’t have the statutory authority to enact local regulations. State legislators pass responsibility back to the local Commissioners or the TCEQ. The TCEQ has become so weakened as a regulatory authority that it is essentially functioning as a permitting agency without much ability to require environmental or water impact studies. What we have to understand is that this lack of any regulatory authority is by design. The Texas Legislature can reinstate the regulatory authority of the TCEQ and create an agency that has the teeth to reign in destructive industries. The Texas Legislature also has the power to grant county authorities more local control over citing decisions and the ability to enact local environmental regulations that protect our air and water. Any indication that the responsibility lies with TCEQ to regulate in ways that it no longer can or that County Commissioners have not expressed extreme frustration with their lack of local authority is disingenuous and irresponsible. Meaningful changes that increase local control or strengthen the TCEQ will be shut down by the powerful oil and gas interests in the Texas House until we elect a larger number of Representatives who are not beholden to Empower Texas and other fossil fuel interests.

Biedermann: The TCEQ currently regulates large APO rock quarries via an air quality permit and a water pollution management plan. There are no current permitting requirements for APO’s that address reclamation of the property, identification of how much water is being used and the impact on the source of the water, transportation studies to determine the structural impact on the roadways and to confirm the public’s safety, performance of air particulate studies to determine the quality of air emissions from the entire single facility and the cumulative impact of all closely located APO’s on the community and the involvement and concurrence of other state agencies before the permit is issued. These are critical areas that need to be addressed by the TCEQ before any APO permit is issued and will take legislation to address.

My staff has been reaching out to other states and state organizations to determine how APO’s are being regulated. We are looking at what is working and how the various requirements have been implemented. Additionally, I am working with the senior managers from the TCEQ. I believe the agency can be performing certain studies and assessments that are not required under existing regulations but can be performed using staff and discretionary funding. As part of my strategy to ensure Texans are more fully protected, I am closely working with my Hill Country and other state elected colleagues from other parts of Texas. We all share basic concerns about APO’s and we need to use our combined influences to change the existing APO permitting program.

Question 3. Vulcan Construction Materials will likely soon submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. Water quality and supply are vital to District 73—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption and agriculture. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, will you be involved and what actions will you take as a state representative?

Phillips: District 73 is heavily reliant on our pristine water for attracting tourists from across the country. The economic impact of the tourist industry is significant and far exceeds the economic benefits of the proposed quarry. In order to preserve the unique beauty of the hill country, and to ensure the economic wellbeing of the district I will strongly advocate for the citizens of HD-73, and fight against heavy industrial operations around the Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones. As Representative, I will use the platform of my office to draw attention to this issue, and combat the misinformation being propagated by Vulcan. A quarry directly over the Aquifer recharge is a danger to the cave and aquifer system as well as a threat to the geologically sensitive Comal Springs. I believe we need to change the way we look at this issue and I take inspiration from the “one water” initiative. One Water promotes management of all water within a specific geographical area as a single resource, that must be managed viably and sustainably. I intend to partner with national organizations as well as local advocacy groups to bring attention to the damages the planned quarry will have on the environment of the hill country. It is a blessing to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the state, and I will work to protect our natural resources for future Texans.

Biedermann: I am not waiting for the submission of the WPAP to the TCEQ. My staff has been in contact with the TCEQ and have identified our significant interest in certain aspects of the WPAP. Due to the proposed location of the Vulcan Construction Materials APO, the TCEQ review should perform an extremely detailed review of all available information regarding the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. I support the TCEQ calling upon university and college resources and Federal agencies like the United States Geological Survey to assist them in assessing the many different geological and hydrogeological factors associated with locating an APO over any groundwater aquifer recharge zone. Locating an APO over such a highly sensitive groundwater area that is the central source of water to over 2 million people and large agricultural and industrial operations must be pursued with great caution.

I will be continuing my dialogue with the Edwards Aquifer Authority, local university and college academia, environmental organizations, other Hill Country legislators, and other key stakeholders to strengthen my understanding and everyone else’s on locating APO’s over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. I do plan on submitting a bill that specifically addresses any APO being proposed to be located over a recharge or transition zone in District 73.

Question 4. Eminent domain has recently been used by a Vulcan subsidiary, Southwest Gulf Railroad, to condemn properties that Medina County landowners refused to sell. Now this Vulcan company has built a nine-mile railway to connect a quarry to the Union Pacific line. In Hill Country counties just to the north, Kinder Morgan is using eminent domain to seize land and easements for their Permian Highway Pipeline. What specific actions have you taken (for challengers, would you take) to help correct the imbalance of power between large corporations and their lobbyists, and regular citizens and landowners when it comes to property rights and eminent domain condemnation?

Phillips: In a survey conducted by Texans for Property Rights, 60% of property owners faced with eminent domain said that the taking was done by a private company and not by the government entity. In addition, only 2% of the respondents felt the initial offers for compensation were fair. The Texas Legislature needs to level the playing field and create a fair process when eminent domain is necessary. It is time to give more protections to private landowners and end abusive practices, particularly by private corporations who use the government-sponsored power of eminent domain.

I would support legislation that provides for significant improvements in the transparency, fairness and accountability of the eminent domain process. Landowners are entitled to public meetings in their own county to better understand why their land is being taken, the taking process, and to have their questions answered. Landowners are entitled to a fair compensation process and Corporations should have consequences when they profit off of seized land or when they offer drastically undermarket bids.

Biedermann: I am on the Land and Resource committee that hears eminent domain bills. I reached out to the leadership of the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and expressed serious concerns about landowners and the public not being included in these land condemnations. Both agencies stated that they had virtually no authority in the eminent domain process. In this last legislative session, I supported the passage of legislation that would have allowed the public more opportunity to voice their concerns. This bill also allowed landowners being impacted by eminent domain condemnation to receive a more accurate valuation for their property as well as more transparency and fairness in payments for the easement affecting their property.

I have continued discussions with these two state agencies, and as a result, I plan to submit legislation. One bill will call for the elimination of eminent domain condemnation for the aggregate industry. A second bill will call for all future oil and gas pipeline companies to address why the existing rights-of-way for currently used and unused pipelines are not available as well as accountability for the routes of the pipelines. The bill will also include language requiring oil and gas companies to perform an environmental/geological assessment for all pipelines being installed in groundwater aquifer recharge and transition zones and under rivers/streams.

Question 5. The mission of Preserve Our Hill Country Environment is to preserve, protect, and restore the land, water, air, wildlife, unique features, and quality of life in the Texas Hill Country against the aggressive and insufficiently regulated expansion of the aggregate industry. Considering our mission and the interest of our over 5,000 members, followers, and supporters, why do you think you are the best person to represent District 73?

Phillips: Protecting the unique ecology, caves, and living waters of the Hill Country region from destruction by irresponsible and reckless aggregate industry expansion is my number one priority. As your Representative, I will work tirelessly to stand up for the citizens of HD-73, and protect the natural beauty and the biodiversity of our home. I pledge to ensure the safety of our air and water, and not to focus on lining the pocketbooks of those in the aggregate industry. As State Representative I will sponsor legislation to reform TCEQ, grant increased local authority to counties to enact common sense environmental policies, and work to build bipartisan coalitions that will succeed in providing the kinds of protections that we require. The ecological wonder of the Texas Hill Country must be preserved for future generations.

Biedermann: My record is clear and consistent on my commitment to preserve and protect not only District 73 but the entire state of Texas. I am blessed to have one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people on these issues. My staff has brought transparency, expertise, common sense and urgency to these issues. We have been very effective calling out and persuading the powers to be that action is needed now. We are confident that the appropriate legislation will follow.

Colette Nies
Kevin Webb

2020 General Election

Excerpts published in October 24 myCanyonLake.com and October 23 New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (subscription required)

In the contest for Comal County Commissioner, Precinct 3, Colette Nies is challenging incumbent Kevin Webb.

Colette Nies runs a land and energy research company, and is a Presbyterian chaplain. She holds a master’s degree from UT in social work, a Master of Divinity in ecological theology and pastoral care from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and is currently in a doctoral program in land, food, ethics, and faith formation. She has also volunteered on numerous committees for the City of New Braunfels and the City of Austin.

Positive Solutions

Meeting with our group, Ms. Nies listened and learned more about the proposed 1500-acre Vulcan quarry, opposition efforts to date, and the decided lack of county involvement in the matter. Relevant issues such as land justice and preservation of natural resources have been her focus for many years and she recognizes the importance of protecting Comal County’s environment—especially the Edwards Aquifer, Comal Springs, and our area water quality and supply—from the over 25 local quarries, concrete plants, and other aggregate facilities.

Additionally, Ms. Nies reached out to our organization and initiated a series of informative video interviews with local biomedical, engineering, and geology experts on air pollution, effects on human health, the Edwards Aquifer, and Comal County caves and caverns.

Ms. Nies brings a positive, “can-do” attitude to this race and has specific, actionable ideas on the table. Two examples of smart, creative solutions include her concept of a conservation commission of scientific professionals to advise Commissioners’ Court, and a 391 regional planning commission to empower the county in matters currently dominated by state agencies. She is also open to collaborating with and learning from neighboring counties and what they have achieved.

Kevin Webb

Kevin Webb is running for his third term as Precinct 3 Commissioner. Mr. Webb has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in recreation, parks, and tourism; is on the Alamo Area MPO Transportation Policy Board; and has been focused primarily on transportation and construction of county buildings.

In March 2018, in response to numerous requests from citizens urging the county to request a contested case hearing as an affected party on the proposed Vulcan quarry, Mr. Webb wrote that commissioners “have no interest in doing a resolution purely for political purposes if it does no good other than to get people off our backs.”

But a couple weeks later, despite having specific, proven tools and examples of other counties who have led the way opposing TCEQ air quality permits, commissioners did exactly that: passed a worthless resolution that failed to support their constituents fighting to protect their health and private property. Seemingly ignoring the data and options provided by Comal County residents, Mr. Webb stated, “this is what we’re capable of.”

“Because We Just Don’t”

More recently Mr. Webb admitted that Comal County indeed has additional authority from the state that they have chosen not to exercise “because we just don’t, we’ve been a conservative county for a long time, and that’s just been sort of the way that we do things.”

Mr. Webb also said, “we are willing to work with anybody that has ideas.” But despite multiple overtures to the commissioner, our ongoing attempts to meet to exchange ideas, explore options, and simply discuss issues related to Comal County quarries and APOs have been met with silence.

More than three years has passed since Vulcan applied for their air quality permit. Unfortunately, it is clear from his responses below that Mr. Webb has still not taken the opportunity to educate himself on the matter. For example, with the air permit, Comal County would only be an affected party if they requested this—and they never did. In his questionnaire response below, Mr. Webb mentions a contested case hearing for the water pollution abatement plan (WPAP); but a contested case hearing isn’t part of the WPAP process at all!

We understand that the intricacies of the TCEQ permitting process are cumbersome and difficult to grasp. But only one of these candidates has reached out, met with us, and educated herself on the details of this battle.

Our Recommendation

Both Comal County Commissioners’ Court races this year feature a sharp contrast between candidates bringing creative solutions and incumbents who are focused on excuses and reasons why they can’t step up to the plate.

In eight years as Precinct 3 Commissioner, Kevin Webb’s list of accomplishments related to protecting our natural resources, preserving open space, and supporting constituents advocating for these is thin to non-existent.

Precinct 3 residents and Comal County citizens are united in our desire to protect our precious water resources, springs, and rivers. Colette Nies is the best person for this job. She has a broad range of experience and knowledge, doesn’t have a problem thinking outside the box, and is focused on what commissioners can do to better protect Comal County citizens and our natural resources. She would bring a refreshing and much needed change to Commissioners’ Court. We strongly recommend Colette Nies for Comal County Commissioner, Precinct 3.

Early voting begins on October 13 and election day is November 3, 2020. Visit the Comal County Elections webpage for polling locations and sample ballots. Candidate responses to our questionnaire are listed below.

Candidate Questionnaire

Preserve Our Hill Country Environment sent a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in August, then followed up with each candidate. Responses from each candidate are shown below verbatim. As per instructions, responses have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. “No response received” is shown for any candidate who did not reply by the September 23 deadline.

Question 1. Texas counties do not have the same powers as cities when it comes to zoning and certain types of regulation. However, counties do have many tools available to protect the health and safety of their citizens against the well-documented risks of air and water pollution from quarries and other aggregate production operations (APOs). Some of these tools include the ability to participate in contested case hearings as an affected party, issue a county-wide moratorium, form a commission to require TCEQ coordination with local authorities, and create a comprehensive county development plan. These tools have already been and are currently being used by other Texas counties. The aggregate industry and their shell companies now own over 25,000 acres in Comal County: seven percent of the entire county land area. Which of these tools have you used (for challengers, would you use) to support your constituents who are concerned about our natural resources and the health effects of the proposed Vulcan Materials quarry and future aggregate facilities in Comal County? (Selection options: Contested Case Hearing, Moratorium, Commission, Development Plan, Other.)

Nies: CONTESTED CASE HEARING, COMMISSION, DEVELOPMENT PLAN. Commissioner’s Court needs to create a Conservation Commission of scientists, geologists, ecologists, economists, and other professionals to gather data and advise the Court on behalf of the citizenry related to all things air and water quality, land conservation, native species and habitat protection, environmentally sensitive areas, recharge zones, soil infiltration, land grant opportunities, establishing regional partnerships, etc. This would give great insight to the court in how they may respond to over-development, how to verify TCEQ data, health disparities, and to document future planning. This will encompass more than the aggregate challenges and allow for an educated, scientifically-based responses to growth. For Comal County to rely solely on attorney-client privilege or permitting organizations with excessive ethics violations, to make complicated environmental decisions on behalf of the entire public without scientific insight is short-sighted, economically irresponsible, and ultimately undermines the power of the county. Open communication with other counties or organizations that have successfully averted aggregate mining operations on environmentally sensitive areas, as well as protected constituents from eminent domain, pollution, and massive financial property losses, need to also be considered. I personally have been involved in land issues (ownership-wise as well as ecologically) for decades. There needs to be a paradigm shift by those who govern to acknowledge and cease perpetuating the fallacy that financial responsibility and ecological stewardship are opposed to one another. History, as well as data, shows us that protecting sensitive areas and natural resources ensures future economic wellbeing and stability.

Webb: If Comal County is an affected party as defined by TCEQ and I feel like it is in the best interest of our citizenry, I will support our participation in a contested case hearing. While I do believe that private property owners should be able to do what they want with their land, I also believe we’d be better off with other types of more environmentally friendly development. These other options listed are either not in our purview or would be meaningless as they hold no real and usable power or authority. If I didn’t know better, I’d think all of these things are fine ideas, but we’ve diligently worked through and researched all of our options. The truth is that they would have no bearing on an application to TCEQ. It is critical that people understand that while the Office of Public Interest Counsel (OPIC) may advocate for a county or municipality to be an affected party, only those named as such by the administrative law judge (SOAH) or Executive Director of TCEQ will be granted that status and can request a contested case hearing. Anyone can claim that status and the OPIC will certify them, but they will ultimately be rejected if they don’t fit TCEQ’s definition of an affected party.

Question 2. Vulcan Construction Materials will likely soon submit a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for their proposed 1500-acre quarry in Comal County. In recent years, Texas counties such as Kendall, Kerr, and Burnet have supported their citizens by contesting or opposing TCEQ permits for rock crushers. Water quality and supply are vital to Comal County—both as a foundation for the local tourism industry as well as for human consumption and agriculture. Heavy industrial operations, quarries, and mining directly over the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones endanger one of our most precious natural resources—water. When Vulcan submits their WPAP for this facility, how, specifically, will you be involved, and what actions will you take as a Comal County commissioner?

Nies: Groundwater management and the importance of base flow for rivers, quality of springs and aquifers, and how those are affected by droughts and environmentally damaging industries are of utmost importance. We need to manage water resources and protect our water supply from over pumping and this needs to be in the forefront of Comal County over the next few decades. All documents and research that Vulcan submits when applying for their WPAP, as well as TCEQ, shoud have full transparency and be available to the public for viewing before being (if) approved. This would allow County staff and the public to request an inspection of any and all documents with the NREQ. The South Central Texas Regional Planning Group, Region L in its next 5 year regional planning session needs to implement more progressive water management strategies to be coordinated and supported by the Texas Water Development Board and Groundwater Districts (GMA’s) to emphasis conservation regarding groundwater supplies and usage.

Webb: As a commissioner I will not seek a contested case hearing as Comal County is not an affected party as defined by TCEQ. The statute specifically states that the county must be affected in a manner not common to members of the general public. We are affected precisely as is the general public as we have no facilities near the quarry and none of our operations are directly adversely affected. If, for example, if the quarry was within a half mile of the Road Department offices or another county facility where our employees would be directly adversely affected, we may be considered an affected person/party and could rightfully request a contested case hearing—which I would likely support. I will ask our partners in other agencies like the Edwards Aquifer Authority what their authorities are in regard to this application and see what they may be able to do to protect our water resources.

Question 3. Comal County is home to numerous natural features, including many amazing caves and caverns. In 2019, local landowners discovered a brand-new chamber in Double Decker Cave, located less than a mile from the proposed Vulcan quarry site. New passages are being explored in Natural Bridge Caverns, just a few miles south of the planned quarry. Just to the west, Honey Creek Cave is the longest known cave in the state of Texas, currently measuring over 22 miles. Unfortunately, Texas allows quarries, such as the nearly three-mile-long facility proposed by Vulcan Materials, to destroy caves encountered during the blasting and mining processes. The next Natural Bridge could be at risk of destruction—even before it is fully explored. Aquifer recharge features such as sinkholes and caves are also in jeopardy. As a Comal County commissioner, what specific actions have you taken (for challengers, would you take) to identify and protect caverns, caves, and other unique geological formations that are so abundant throughout the county—especially the area in and around the proposed Vulcan quarry?

Nies: Caves are integral to our groundwater system. These ecological formations create a giant funnel system for the pollutants and runoff of the APO’s to directly enter the environmentally sensitive Edward’s Aquifer Recharge Zone (EARZ). This aquifer is the only one in the state that is considered a sole source aquifer and 90% of the water flows through Comal County. This puts a much greater priority of Comal County to do its due diligence to not only safeguard the water supply of almost 2 million people, but to protect it from contamination due to pollution and waste. Due to the great number of areas that have not been mapped, we simply do not know what ecological wonders may be destroyed or how the collapsing of a cave system will have long term affects on the aquifer system as a whole. As your next Commissioner, my plan is to heed the advice and academic research on steps that need to be taken to ensure the protection of our environmentally sensitive areas and caves system here.

Webb: The county doesn’t and shouldn’t have the authority to interfere with private landowners on their land in these matters. If people wish to preserve the natural resources on the land they own, I would work to help them to try to find ways to do that through state and private organizations that work in this field. We’ve had conversations in this regard as recent as earlier this year and I’m hopeful more people will come forward to help preserve these resources. I am happy to work on preserving land with people in conservation easements, habitat conservation preserves, and through the county’s outright ownership of land to preserve open space and our beautiful natural areas. The challenge is securing partners and funding to do these things and I have worked and will continue to work on it. While I work primarily on transportation issues for the county due to the urban nature of Precinct 3, my degree from Texas A&M is actually in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, and open space is a serious interest of mine.

Question 4. Texas law (TCAA § 382.111, 382.015) states that counties have the same authority as TCEQ to monitor and inspect air quality and emission violations, including the power to install and operate air quality monitors, and to enter public or private property to determine if permitted plants are exceeding allowed emission levels. Harris County has already done this and operates multiple county-owned air monitors to help protect its citizens. Have you (for challengers, would you) helped protect Comal County citizens by actively supporting the installation and operation of county-owned air quality monitoring equipment and initiating periodic inspections of aggregate facilities by Comal County to supplement the gaps in TCEQ air monitoring and oversight? (Selection options: Yes, No.)

Nies: YES. Absolutely. Comal County has twice the rate of asthma than the national average. The vulnerable aging population is highly susceptible to health issues related to air quality and particulate matter 2.5 produced through the aggregate operation industry. We are in the process of having close to 50K residents retire in the near future and are at risk for a variety of air quality associated diseases and co-morbidities. However, Comal County cannot make decisions about how to protect our air quality if we do not have sufficient data specific to our area analyzed and reviewed by us. Comal County needs to have numerous PM 2.5 air monitors installed to collect data 24/7 for a minimum of 3 years. Comal County would also benefit from a Dark Sky Initiative to curb light pollution and modernize antiquated lighting systems.

Webb: I have not supported the installation and operation of county-owned air quality monitoring systems. We have no subject matter experts in this field, no budget to support it, and no desire to enter private property to do this. It would be a huge expansion of county government, an enormous expense, and a massive intrusion on the property rights of our landowners. Because air quality issues are generally regional, the state entrusts TCEQ with these responsibilities and we have asked them to enforce their rules. We should continue to request that the State require that its agencies enforce their regulations and fund their departments at levels which will allow them to do that important work. Each county having its own air quality rules or enforcement systems would be impossible for businesses and residents navigate, and I don’t support that.

Question 5. Westward Environmental provides consulting services to aggregate companies such as Vulcan. Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association (TACA) is a lobbying group representing Vulcan Construction Materials and other aggregate companies. Did you communicate with or have contact with, or receive campaign contributions from Vulcan, Westward, TACA, or any representatives or their subsidiaries prior to public notice of permit application number 147392L001 in July 2017? (Selection options: Yes, No.)

Nies: NO. No, nor have I after July 2017. I also support 100% full financial transparency in political donations (in kind or other) in any amount.

Webb: I haven’t received any contributions or donations from them and I don’t believe I’ve spoken with them. That’s not how things work in Comal County. We do what the law says that we should do regardless of the parties involved and any implication otherwise is just flat out wrong. I think a lot of opportunities for cooperation were squandered early on in this process due to the type of mistrust engendered in this question. It is my hope that as we go forward and people more clearly understand our true role and what we can do to help, we can come together and work side by side on these things.  I think we will have other developments like this is the future, and if we are not united—at least to some degree—the results are sadly predictable. Consensus and compromise are hard at times, but that’s the business we’re often in.  We have to be able to share ideas, work through all the possibilities, and even disagree on certain things while still collaborating on other issues if we are going to be successful in protecting our environment—or in just about anything else.

Question 6. Comal County is experiencing rapid growth, much of which is occurring in unincorporated areas. County commissioners have claimed they have insufficient authority when it comes to regulating incompatible land use or protecting citizens against threats to their health and property. What specific actions have you taken (for challengers, would you take) to rectify this lack of authority and foster a reasonable and predictable approach to development that protects all property owners?

Nies: County governments can implement initiatives to value the collective knowledge of experts and organizations in their planning to strengthen local control. This can happen through establishing commissions to protect citizens and the landscape/wildlife. Developing a Parks and Open Space Commission, (i.e. Conservation Commission), a 391 Commission, as well as other measures like promoting green infrastructure and establishing better groundwater models/air quality monitors. While not implementing zoning changes, the county can encourage developers move
through the process quickly if they limit lot sizes, create plans that protect the watershed, add rain water collection systems and reclamation practices, build communities around open space, plant native species and grasses to promote carbon sequestering and water absorption, refuse to clear cut large areas at time, etc. We can formalize and establish bond initiatives (here and join with other counties) that work with land grants, regional partnerships, and private landowners, etc. to approach new strategies in development, promoting conservation, and mitigating growth. Working with the City of New Braunfels and other cities on providing housing in more populated areas would also reduce urban sprawl and rejuvenate areas that need better infrastructure and access. The County needs to focus on modernizing storm water engineering to also reduce runoff pollution and seriously look into the permeable groundcover effects on runoff and absorption.

Webb: In the past, Comal County asked the legislature repeatedly for more local control without results and there is no reason to believe that has changed. It just puts our local state legislators in a no-win situation as those bills won’t go anywhere. I’m also not a proponent of giving counties zoning authority, and that’s what is likely hinted at by “foster a reasonable and predictable approach to development that protects all property owners.” There are cities and unincorporated areas with POAs and HOAs where people can choose to live with those protections. A lot of people move out into the county to be away from exactly those things. With the authorities we do have, we are enforcing our subdivision, on-site sewage facility, and floodplain regulations, working through our Regional Habitat Conservation Plan to mitigate habitat loss of endangered species, and working with area partner agencies and landowners in an attempt to create our own RHCP preserve. These and other efforts to preserve open space so that incompatible land uses are minimized will continue and hopefully expand.

Question 7. Eminent domain has recently been used by a Vulcan subsidiary, Southwest Gulf Railroad, to condemn properties that Medina County landowners refused to sell. Now this Vulcan company has built a nine-mile railway to connect a quarry to the Union Pacific line. In Hill Country counties just to the north, Kinder Morgan is using eminent domain to seize land and easements for their Permian Highway Pipeline. What specific actions have you taken (for challengers, would you take) to help correct the imbalance of power between large corporations and their lobbyists, and regular citizens and landowners when it comes to property rights and eminent domain condemnation?

Nies: County Commissioner’s have the right to establish a 391 Regional Planning Commission. This is one way to level the playing field and influence the consideration of local landowners and regular citizens to have a seat at the table and help correct the imbalance of power of large corporations and lobbyists. The 391 Commission would give local government more power to demand local impact studies and analyses, as well as invoke coordination between state agencies and municipalities. Because a 391 Planning Commission is considered a political subdivision of the State of Texas, it brings a balance of power to counties, school districts, etc. and may also improve inefficiencies for local government when unmitigated growth is normally in the hands of TCEQ and TXDOT. There are numerous ways in which county governments can reestablish local control and the rhetoric of “we cannot do anything” needs to stop. There is always something commissioners can do on behalf of their constituents. If they tell you that, then you should vote them out.

Webb: Personally, I’m not a proponent of eminent domain. I imagine there are conditions where it is necessary in emergency situations, but I struggle to come up with a circumstance where I could support it. I think if there was an issue where a corporation was trying to take land from our citizens in Precinct 3 that didn’t involve an obvious, immediate, and overwhelming public necessity, I’d work with our citizens and state and other partners against it.

Lindsay Poisel
Donna Eccleston
Ivan Foster

2020 General Election

Excerpt published in October 16 New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (subscription required)

Incumbent Donna Eccleston is running for her fourth term as Precinct 1 Comal County Commissioner. Unfortunately, Ms. Eccleston has a history of unresponsiveness when it comes to representing her constituents and Comal County citizens. During her 11 years on Commissioners’ Court, countless emails and calls to her have gone unanswered. While she wrote a letter to TCEQ in 2017 requesting a public meeting and attended one meeting, talk is cheap (and so are letters). When it comes to meaningful actions related to the proposed Vulcan quarry, Ms. Eccleston has done nothing.

Vulcan Quarry

While she says she supports “collaboration with nonprofits,” Ms. Eccleston has repeatedly ignored invitations from our group to meet and discuss the planned 1500-acre open-pit mine and other environmental issues important to Comal County citizens.

On March 22, 2018, in Commissioner’s Court, citizens urged Ms. Eccleston and her fellow commissioners to postpone a vote on a pointless, do-nothing resolution until it could be revised to effectively support area citizens fighting the quarry. Despite having specific actionable tools and examples of other counties who have led the way opposing TCEQ air quality permits, commissioners seemingly ignored their constituents and passed the resolution anyway. By supporting this impotent resolution, Ms. Eccleston continued to side with an out-of-state corporation rather than the citizens she was elected to represent.

(While she did request a public meeting in 2017, Ms. Eccleston and fellow commissioners refused to request a contested case hearing with the county as an affected party. While the difference may seem minimal, there is actually a huge distinction between the two as defined by TCEQ. According to Texas statute, counties do have standing in such matters. Had Comal County requested a contested case hearing, the county would doubtless have been named an affected party, as have other counties in similar cases.)